Wesley Corpus

thing ! In various places, indeed, we have frequently felt The o'erwhelming power of saving grace ; which acted almost irresistibly. But such a shower of grace never continued long; and afterwards men might resist the Holy Ghost as before. When the general ferment subsides, every one that partook of it has his trial for life ; and the higher the flood, the lower will be the ebb; yea, the more swiftly it rose, the more swiftly it falls : So that if we see this here, we should not be discouraged. We should only use all diligence to encourage as many as possible to press forward, in spite of all the refluent tide. Now, especially, we should warn one another not to grow weary or faint in our mind ; if haply we may see such another prodigy as the late one at Paulton, near Bath, where there was a very swift work of God ; and yet, a year after, out of an hundred converted, there was not one backslider ! The number of children that are clearly converted to God is particularly remarkable. Thirteen or fourteen little maidens, in one class, are rejoicing in God their Saviour ; and are as serious and stayed in their whole behaviour, as if they were thirty or forty years old. I have much hopes, that half of them will be steadfast in the grace ofGod which they now enjoy. Sun. 17. We had such a number of communicants at the cathedral as was scarce ever seen there before. In the evening manywere cut to the heart ; and, I believe, not a few comforted. A love-feast followed ; at which many spoke what God had done for their souls, with all plainness and simplicity. Mon. 18.-I went through a delightful country to Prosperous ; a little town, begun five years ago by Captain Brooke, just 302 REV. J. WESLEY'S April,1785. returned from the East Indies. Here he introduced every branch of the cotton manufactory, on a most extensive plan. He built two rows of commodious houses, with all convenient appurtenances ; and he now employs about two thousand men, women, and children, on the spot, beside near the same number in other places. They had a very large Room, but not near large enough for the congregation. All that got in seemed much affected, as